diff --git a/helper/ndn-encoding-helper.cc b/helper/ndn-encoding-helper.cc
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..200072b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/helper/ndn-encoding-helper.cc
@@ -0,0 +1,350 @@
+/* -*- Mode: C++; c-file-style: "gnu"; indent-tabs-mode:nil -*- */
+/*
+ * Copyright (c) 2011 University of California, Los Angeles
+ *
+ * This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
+ * it under the terms of the GNU General Public License version 2 as
+ * published by the Free Software Foundation;
+ *
+ * This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+ * GNU General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+ * along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software
+ * Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place, Suite 330, Boston, MA  02111-1307  USA
+ *
+ * Author: Alexander Afanasyev <alexander.afanasyev@ucla.edu> 
+ */
+
+#include "ndn-encoding-helper.h"
+
+#include "ns3/ndn-name-components.h"
+#include "ns3/ndn-interest-header.h"
+#include "ns3/ndn-content-object-header.h"
+
+#include <sstream>
+#include <boost/foreach.hpp>
+
+namespace ns3 {
+
+size_t
+NdnEncodingHelper::Serialize (Buffer::Iterator start, const NdnInterestHeader &interest)
+{
+  size_t written = 0;
+  written += AppendBlockHeader (start, CcnbParser::CCN_DTAG_Interest, CcnbParser::CCN_DTAG); // <Interest>
+  
+  written += AppendBlockHeader (start, CcnbParser::CCN_DTAG_Name, CcnbParser::CCN_DTAG); // <Name>
+  written += AppendNameComponents (start, interest.GetName());                // <Component>...</Component>...
+  written += AppendCloser (start);                               // </Name>
+
+  if (interest.GetMinSuffixComponents() >= 0)
+    {
+      written += AppendBlockHeader (start, CcnbParser::CCN_DTAG_MinSuffixComponents, CcnbParser::CCN_DTAG);
+      written += AppendNumber (start, interest.GetMinSuffixComponents ());
+      written += AppendCloser (start);
+    }
+  if (interest.GetMaxSuffixComponents() >= 0)
+    {
+      written += AppendBlockHeader (start, CcnbParser::CCN_DTAG_MaxSuffixComponents, CcnbParser::CCN_DTAG);
+      written += AppendNumber (start, interest.GetMaxSuffixComponents ());
+      written += AppendCloser (start);
+    }
+  if (interest.IsEnabledExclude() && interest.GetExclude().size() > 0)
+    {
+      written += AppendBlockHeader (start, CcnbParser::CCN_DTAG_Exclude, CcnbParser::CCN_DTAG); // <Exclude>
+      written += AppendNameComponents (start, interest.GetExclude());                // <Component>...</Component>...
+      written += AppendCloser (start);                                  // </Exclude>
+    }
+  if (interest.IsEnabledChildSelector())
+    {
+      written += AppendBlockHeader (start, CcnbParser::CCN_DTAG_ChildSelector, CcnbParser::CCN_DTAG);
+      written += AppendNumber (start, 1);
+      written += AppendCloser (start);
+    }
+  if (interest.IsEnabledAnswerOriginKind())
+    {
+      written += AppendBlockHeader (start, CcnbParser::CCN_DTAG_AnswerOriginKind, CcnbParser::CCN_DTAG);
+      written += AppendNumber (start, 1);
+      written += AppendCloser (start);
+    }
+  if (interest.GetScope() >= 0)
+    {
+      written += AppendBlockHeader (start, CcnbParser::CCN_DTAG_Scope, CcnbParser::CCN_DTAG);
+      written += AppendNumber (start, interest.GetScope ());
+      written += AppendCloser (start);
+    }
+  if (!interest.GetInterestLifetime().IsZero())
+    {
+      written += AppendBlockHeader (start, CcnbParser::CCN_DTAG_InterestLifetime, CcnbParser::CCN_DTAG);
+      written += AppendTimestampBlob (start, interest.GetInterestLifetime ());
+      written += AppendCloser (start);
+    }
+  if (interest.GetNonce()>0)
+    {
+      uint32_t nonce = interest.GetNonce();
+      written += AppendTaggedBlob (start, CcnbParser::CCN_DTAG_Nonce, nonce);
+    }
+    
+  if (interest.GetNack ()>0)
+    {
+      written += AppendBlockHeader (start, CcnbParser::CCN_DTAG_Nack, CcnbParser::CCN_DTAG);
+      written += AppendNumber (start, interest.GetNack ());
+      written += AppendCloser (start);
+    }
+  written += AppendCloser (start); // </Interest>
+
+  return written;
+}
+
+size_t
+NdnEncodingHelper::GetSerializedSize (const NdnInterestHeader &interest)
+{
+  size_t written = 0;
+  written += EstimateBlockHeader (CcnbParser::CCN_DTAG_Interest); // <Interest>
+  
+  written += EstimateBlockHeader (CcnbParser::CCN_DTAG_Name); // <Name>
+  written += EstimateNameComponents (interest.GetName()); // <Component>...</Component>...
+  written += 1; // </Name>
+
+  if (interest.GetMinSuffixComponents() >= 0)
+    {
+      written += EstimateBlockHeader (CcnbParser::CCN_DTAG_MinSuffixComponents);
+      written += EstimateNumber (interest.GetMinSuffixComponents ());
+      written += 1;
+    }
+  if (interest.GetMaxSuffixComponents() >= 0)
+    {
+      written += EstimateBlockHeader (CcnbParser::CCN_DTAG_MaxSuffixComponents);
+      written += EstimateNumber (interest.GetMaxSuffixComponents ());
+      written += 1;
+    }
+  if (interest.IsEnabledExclude() && interest.GetExclude().size() > 0)
+    {
+      written += EstimateBlockHeader (CcnbParser::CCN_DTAG_Exclude);
+      written += EstimateNameComponents (interest.GetExclude());                // <Component>...</Component>...
+      written += 1;                                  // </Exclude>
+    }
+  if (interest.IsEnabledChildSelector())
+    {
+      written += EstimateBlockHeader (CcnbParser::CCN_DTAG_ChildSelector);
+      written += EstimateNumber (1);
+      written += 1;
+    }
+  if (interest.IsEnabledAnswerOriginKind())
+    {
+      written += EstimateBlockHeader (CcnbParser::CCN_DTAG_AnswerOriginKind);
+      written += EstimateNumber (1);
+      written += 1;
+    }
+  if (interest.GetScope() >= 0)
+    {
+      written += EstimateBlockHeader (CcnbParser::CCN_DTAG_Scope);
+      written += EstimateNumber (interest.GetScope ());
+      written += 1;
+    }
+  if (!interest.GetInterestLifetime().IsZero())
+    {
+      written += EstimateBlockHeader (CcnbParser::CCN_DTAG_InterestLifetime);
+      written += EstimateTimestampBlob (interest.GetInterestLifetime());
+      written += 1;
+    }
+  if (interest.GetNonce()>0)
+    {
+      written += EstimateTaggedBlob (CcnbParser::CCN_DTAG_Nonce, sizeof(uint32_t));
+    }
+  if (interest.GetNack ()>0)
+    {
+        written += EstimateBlockHeader (CcnbParser::CCN_DTAG_Nack);
+        written += EstimateNumber (interest.GetNack ());
+        written += 1;
+    }
+
+  written += 1; // </Interest>
+
+  return written;
+}
+
+//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+
+#define CCN_TT_BITS 3
+#define CCN_TT_MASK ((1 << CCN_TT_BITS) - 1)
+#define CCN_MAX_TINY ((1 << (7-CCN_TT_BITS)) - 1)
+#define CCN_TT_HBIT ((unsigned char)(1 << 7))
+
+size_t
+NdnEncodingHelper::AppendBlockHeader (Buffer::Iterator &start, size_t val, CcnbParser::ccn_tt tt)
+{
+  unsigned char buf[1+8*((sizeof(val)+6)/7)];
+  unsigned char *p = &(buf[sizeof(buf)-1]);
+  size_t n = 1;
+  p[0] = (CCN_TT_HBIT & ~CcnbParser::CCN_CLOSE) |
+  ((val & CCN_MAX_TINY) << CCN_TT_BITS) |
+  (CCN_TT_MASK & tt);
+  val >>= (7-CCN_TT_BITS);
+  while (val != 0) {
+    (--p)[0] = (((unsigned char)val) & ~CCN_TT_HBIT) | CcnbParser::CCN_CLOSE;
+    n++;
+    val >>= 7;
+  }
+  start.Write (p,n);
+  return n;
+}
+
+size_t
+NdnEncodingHelper::EstimateBlockHeader (size_t value)
+{
+  value >>= (7-CCN_TT_BITS);
+  size_t n = 1;
+  while (value>0)
+    {
+      value >>= 7;
+      n++;
+    }
+  return n;
+}
+
+size_t
+NdnEncodingHelper::AppendNumber (Buffer::Iterator &start, uint32_t number)
+{
+  std::ostringstream os;
+  os << number;
+
+  size_t written = 0;
+  written += AppendBlockHeader (start, os.str().size(), CcnbParser::CCN_UDATA);
+  written += os.str().size();
+  start.Write (reinterpret_cast<const unsigned char*>(os.str().c_str()), os.str().size());
+
+  return written;
+}
+
+size_t
+NdnEncodingHelper::EstimateNumber (uint32_t number)
+{
+  std::ostringstream os;
+  os << number;
+  return EstimateBlockHeader (os.str ().size ()) + os.str ().size ();
+}
+  
+size_t
+NdnEncodingHelper::AppendCloser (Buffer::Iterator &start)
+{
+  start.WriteU8 (CcnbParser::CCN_CLOSE);
+  return 1;
+}
+
+size_t
+NdnEncodingHelper::AppendNameComponents (Buffer::Iterator &start, const NdnNameComponents &name)
+{
+  size_t written = 0;
+  BOOST_FOREACH (const std::string &component, name.GetComponents())
+    {
+      written += AppendTaggedBlob (start, CcnbParser::CCN_DTAG_Component,
+                                   reinterpret_cast<const uint8_t*>(component.c_str()), component.size());
+    }
+  return written;
+}
+
+size_t
+NdnEncodingHelper::EstimateNameComponents (const NdnNameComponents &name)
+{
+  size_t written = 0;
+  BOOST_FOREACH (const std::string &component, name.GetComponents())
+    {
+      written += EstimateTaggedBlob (CcnbParser::CCN_DTAG_Component, component.size());
+    }
+  return written;
+}
+
+size_t
+NdnEncodingHelper::AppendTimestampBlob (Buffer::Iterator &start, const Time &time)
+{
+  // the original function implements Markers... thought not sure what are these markers for...
+
+  // Determine miminal number of bytes required to store the timestamp
+  int required_bytes = 2; // 12 bits for fractions of a second, 4 bits left for seconds. Sometimes it is enough
+  intmax_t ts = time.ToInteger (Time::S) >> 4;
+  for (;  required_bytes < 7 && ts != 0; ts >>= 8) // not more than 6 bytes?
+     required_bytes++;
+  
+  size_t len = AppendBlockHeader(start, required_bytes, CcnbParser::CCN_BLOB);
+
+  // write part with seconds
+  ts = time.ToInteger (Time::S) >> 4;
+  for (int i = 0; i < required_bytes - 2; i++)
+    start.WriteU8 ( ts >> (8 * (required_bytes - 3 - i)) );
+
+  /* arithmetic contortions are to avoid overflowing 31 bits */
+  ts = ((time.ToInteger (Time::S) & 15) << 12) +
+       (((time.ToInteger (Time::NS) % 1000000000) / 5 * 8 + 195312) / 390625);
+  for (int i = required_bytes - 2; i < required_bytes; i++)
+    start.WriteU8 ( ts >> (8 * (required_bytes - 1 - i)) );
+  
+  return len + required_bytes;
+}
+
+size_t
+NdnEncodingHelper::EstimateTimestampBlob (const Time &time)
+{
+  int required_bytes = 2; // 12 bits for fractions of a second, 4 bits left for seconds. Sometimes it is enough
+  intmax_t ts = time.ToInteger (Time::S) >> 4;
+  for (;  required_bytes < 7 && ts != 0; ts >>= 8) // not more than 6 bytes?
+     required_bytes++;
+
+  return EstimateBlockHeader (required_bytes) + required_bytes;
+}
+
+size_t
+NdnEncodingHelper::AppendTaggedBlob (Buffer::Iterator &start, CcnbParser::ccn_dtag dtag,
+                  const uint8_t *data, size_t size)
+{
+  size_t written = AppendBlockHeader (start, dtag, CcnbParser::CCN_DTAG);
+  /* 2 */
+  if (size>0)
+    {
+      written += AppendBlockHeader (start, size, CcnbParser::CCN_BLOB);
+      start.Write (data, size);
+      written += size;
+      /* size */
+    }
+  written += AppendCloser (start);
+  /* 1 */
+
+  return written;
+}
+
+size_t
+NdnEncodingHelper::EstimateTaggedBlob (CcnbParser::ccn_dtag dtag, size_t size)
+{
+  if (size>0)
+    return EstimateBlockHeader (dtag) + EstimateBlockHeader (size) + size + 1;
+  else
+    return EstimateBlockHeader (dtag) + 1;
+}
+
+size_t
+NdnEncodingHelper::AppendString (Buffer::Iterator &start, CcnbParser::ccn_dtag dtag,
+                                  const std::string &string)
+{
+  size_t written = AppendBlockHeader (start, dtag, CcnbParser::CCN_DTAG);
+  {
+    written += AppendBlockHeader (start, string.size (), CcnbParser::CCN_UDATA);
+    start.Write (reinterpret_cast<const uint8_t*> (string.c_str ()), string.size ());
+    written += string.size ();
+  }
+  written += AppendCloser (start);
+
+  return written;
+}
+
+size_t
+NdnEncodingHelper::EstimateString (CcnbParser::ccn_dtag dtag, const std::string &string)
+{
+  return EstimateBlockHeader (dtag) + EstimateBlockHeader (string.size ()) + string.size () + 1;
+}
+
+
+} // namespace ns3